Computing environments

• US 7,971,446 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Exaflop LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sykora, Montgomery, Chow, Steven T. Y., Beaty, Donald L., Leung, Winnie, Carlson, Andrew, Hamburgen, William, Clidaras, Jimmy
• Primary Examiner(s): ALI, MOHAMMAD M
• Application Number:
  US11/757,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20070281639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 622/592, 622/64, 621/25, 621/26, 361/695, 361/687, 361/29, 455/128, 455/575.1, 165/104.22, 165/121, 165/122
• US Class Current: 62/259.2
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/16 in electrical installations, e.g. cableways
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20136 Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans H05K7/202 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

A system can include an enclosure having an exterior surface and an interior region that is characterized by a width and a length that is longer than the width; a plurality of trays mounted in racks that line a majority of each side of the length of the interior region and that define an aisle therebetween which is suitable for passage by one or more human occupants; cooling coils configured to capture heat generated by the plurality of trays and exhaust the heat outside the interior region; a plurality of connections on the exterior surface for supplying electrical power to the plurality of trays, supplying cooling fluid to the cooling coils, and for receiving cooling fluid discharged from the cooling coils; and doors at either end of the aisle configured and positioned to facilitate emergency egress from the enclosure by a human occupant.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an enclosure having an exterior surface and an interior region that is characterized by a width and a length that is longer than the width;

a plurality of trays mounted in racks that line a majority of each side of the length of the interior region and that define an aisle therebetween which is suitable for passage by one or more human occupants;

one or more cooling coils configured to capture heat generated by the plurality of trays and exhaust the heat outside the interior region;

a plurality of connections on the exterior surface including a first connection for supplying electrical power to the plurality of trays in the interior region, a second connection for supplying cooling fluid to the one or more cooling coils in the interior region, and a third connection for receiving cooling fluid discharged from the one or more cooling coils; and

doors at either end of the aisle configured and positioned to facilitate emergency egress from the enclosure by a human occupant,

wherein the enclosure comprises a modular and transportable container such that the doors and the exterior surface fluidly seal the interior region of the enclosure from an external environment of the enclosure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more lights mounted within the enclosure and configured to illuminate the aisle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the lights are powered by a backup power system.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an emergency shutoff switch that, when activated, disconnects electrical power to the plurality of trays.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one door includes an activatable door alarm.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fire and smoke detection system mounted within the enclosure.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a fire suppression system mounted within the enclosure.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the fire suppression system is a fog based system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the fire suppression system includes less than ten outlets for dispersing a fire suppressing medium into the interior region.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising one or more fire dampers configured to be activated in response to the fire and smoke detection system detecting fire or smoke.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising fire retardant expandable foam disposed in one or more passageways in the interior region or between the interior region and a space outside of and adjacent to the enclosure.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a flood detection system.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a power-down controller configured to power down a plurality of processor boards upon detection of a flood condition by the flood detection system.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more overflow drains configured to facilitate fluid communication from the interior region through the exterior surface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more overflow drains is normally sealed but configured to open in the presence of liquid.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one overflow drain comprises a ball and cage construction.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more high temperature sensors and at least one corresponding alarm.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal runaway alarm.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a power-down controller configured to power down a plurality of processor boards upon detection of a thermal runaway condition.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a shipping container.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the shipping container is a 1AAA shipping container.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the shipping container is a 1CC shipping container.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising an exit light disposed above each door.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein each tray in the plurality of trays comprises a circuit board that includes a microprocessor or a hard drive.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface is exposed to an outdoor environment.